{"id":554,"date":"2007-12-25T07:56:27","date_gmt":"2007-12-25T04:56:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/oxgoad.ca\/2007\/12\/25\/on-the-sunday-before-christmas\/"},"modified":"2007-12-25T07:56:27","modified_gmt":"2007-12-25T04:56:27","slug":"on-the-sunday-before-christmas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oxgoad.ca\/2007\/12\/25\/on-the-sunday-before-christmas\/","title":{"rendered":"on the Sunday before Christmas"},"content":{"rendered":"
This Sunday, 12.23.07, we had only one sermon. A brief summary appears below.<\/p>\n
Matthew presents the Gospel record thematically, not chronologically. Many of the events of Mt 12, for example, occur before Mt 5-7 in time. In his 12th chapter, however, Matthew is forcing us to make a choice about Jesus. He does this by displaying the Master as tender and compassionate to the needs and weaknesses of men. He also displays the irrational antagonism of Jesus’ enemies to this. Then he quotes Isaiah, describing the gentle compassionate character of the Servant, applying this to Jesus. We are left with a stark decision to make. Will we Gentiles trust Him? Is he really the son of David? Or is he the son of the devil [Beelzebub]? Which?<\/p>\n
~~~<\/p>\n
Our second service involved our Children’s Christmas Play<\/strong><\/em>. You can find pictures here<\/a>. [I was preaching from the middle of the stable in Bethlehem this Sunday!] Our little children were thrilled to dress up as shepherds, angels, and sheep. Our big kids seemed to like it, too.<\/p>\n